East Mountain UK Director’s Report May 2023-May 2024
The period of May of 2023 to May of 2024 saw an expansion of the ministries of East Mountain to include regular pilgrimage and Signal Fires for men. This was added to the continuing retreat offering of the Shepherd’s Hut, personal evangelism and discipleship and community life. This period also saw East Mountain UK host our first intern; welcoming a young American man for a period of 6 months.
This year was a year of innovation, particularly in the area of ministry to men. Four pilgrimages on the St. Cuthbert Way took place involving men from both Scotland and the USA. Signal Fires in both Pencaitland and Dalkeith reached men from two different counties around Edinburgh. Our fledgling internship programme impacted the life and ministry calling of a young, post-University American man. It was exciting to see men engaged in these ways! Women were impacted too with continuing small group discipleship, forays into spiritual direction and one-on-one meetings.
Spring and Summer 2023:
Following a successful “test run” of the 65 mile pilgrimage on the St. Cuthbert Way in May, Chris decided to offer this particular form of pilgrimage on an ongoing basis. He decided that 4 pilgrimages could potentially be offered per year, in May, June, September and October. Avoiding the high summer (and Edinburgh Festival) months of July and August, and taking into account weather and availability, this seemed feasible. His first pilgrimage was with an American man from Nevada, USA, Brendan, who ended the pilgrimage by actively beginning to explore the possibility of moving to Scotland to join East Mountain UK.
The King family continued to participate in the community life of East Mountain while Vinny sought to establish himself further as a handyman/ joiner in Scotland. Jessica took on more responsibility in booking out the Shepherd’s Hut and started a small group for mothers of young children in her town of Dalkeith. The Kings returned to the US in the summer 2023 for a month of support raising.
Chris also spent time in the US in June to raise further support and to inquire about the possibility of making connections to his US-based Presbyterian denomination. His coaching training concluded in the summer and he began the necessary work of finding coaching clients to
complete the necessary 100 hours of coaching in able to take his certifying test.
Autumn and Winter 2023/2024:
The Autumn season saw a flurry of activity in the Shepherd’s Hut retreat space. As word began to spread about this ministry space in the Lothians and around Scotland, we found that it was beginning to be booked out most days of the week. A slow but steady income of donations began to build in our East Mountain bank account, allowing us to host ministry teams and to pay for charity necessities. We also noted that the Shepherd’s Hut had been added to Google Maps with a link to the website! The Shepherd’s Hut has been an amazing way for East Mountain to interact with Christian leaders in Scotland. As more and more people experience the peace and presence of God in the Hut, they tell others. Most new visitors come through word of mouth.
In September, Chris led a full, 65 mile pilgrimage. In October, he led a shorter, 15 mile/3 day pilgrimage on the St. Cuthbert Way. Vinny King was able to participate in the October pilgrimage and found that this is a ministry in which he wants to invest in the future! 7 men total experienced the power of pilgrimage and returned changed and moved by what they experienced!
Also in September, East Mountain began a ministry for men called “East Mountain Signal Fires.” Gathering around the fire pit next to the Shepherd’s Hut at Wall End, between 7-15 men began attending a monthly fire. These open gatherings are a space for men to come and to share vulnerably about their lives. Many of the men we have hosted are involved in church or ministry and have said that the fires are a place where, unlike most churches or ministry settings, they can be fully open and honest. Vinny and Chris lead the fires and have themselves benefitted from the unique atmosphere of rich fellowship and sharing.
In October, East Mountain UK again hosted the Deep Community Experience. A team of 4 facilitators came from the US to engage our community and to guide us into deeper aspects of our own life and story. From this engagement, we are better able to understand ourselves and to offer richer and deeper ministry experiences to others. East Mountain was able to pay for their accommodations from proceeds from the Shepherd’s Hut! We also welcomed two guests: Brendan Reese, the man who walked with Chris in the May pilgrimage, and Sam Boggs, the young man who was to be our first intern in 2024. This experience was
challenging and extremely beneficial. In this time, Brendan was able to discern that he was not called to come to Scotland and returned home to Nevada, USA to pursue God’s will for him there.
Winter 2024 and Spring 2024
In January, we welcomed back Sam Boggs as our first longer term East Mountain UK intern! Sam was a welcome addition to the community and began his stay by celebrating Burns Night with the EM UK community and several Scottish guests. Sam lived with a Christian host family and learned about Scottish life and ministry while exploring his own potential calling. Chris engaged Sam weekly with coaching and exploration of the rich Christian history and landscape of Scotland. Sam also served with several EM UK partners to do evangelism, youth work and university ministry. His stay with EM UK lasted until early July of 2024.
In February, Vinny King began a 2nd EM Signal Fire at his home in Dalkeith. This not only gave us two fires a month, but extended the reach of this ministry by having one in Midlothian as well as in East Lothian. We saw that each fire reached a different demographic of men with little overlap. Chris attended this fire and Vinny continued to come to the fire at Wall End. Chris and Vinny agreed that this ministry to men was unlike any they had ever experience before and were amazed at how God moved powerfully in the men that attended!
Fiona McLaughlin began training as a Spiritual Director in the autumn of 2023 and continued in 2024. In early 2024, she began meeting with women in the East Mountain sphere. Her gentle influence has been an amazing asset to the community. Kirsten Furr also continued her work with children during “Bible Time” and saw another young man come to faith during these explorations of the Bible. This has been an exciting way to see evangelism happen naturally within our community contexts. Jessica King continued to meet weekly with women in Dalkeith and to host a small group for mothers of small children.
May ended with another full pilgrimage on the St. Cuthbert Way. Chris led 3 men including our intern Sam Boggs on this journey. It was another successful walk full of physical challenges and spiritual enrichment.
In conclusion, the year from May 2023 to May 2024 was one of new horizons, new ministry and an increase in previous ministries. We thank God for His mercy to help us innovate and deepen. The true “flavour” of East Mountain UK seemed to coalesce during this year. We see that our
particular gifting and calling is to offer space and means of rest, restoration and depth for men and women and to walk alongside them to help them further in their particular journey with God.
Chris Furr Director, East Mountain UK
East Mountain UK Registered Charity number 1174595 Accounts 6 May 2024- 5 May 2025
| Date: | Details: | In: | Out: | Bank Balance: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beginning May 2024 | Balance in Bank | £1672.93 | ||
| 08 May24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 100.00 | 1772.93 | |
| 15 May24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 25.00 | 1797.93 | |
| 30 May24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 30.00 | 1827.93 | |
| 31 May24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 30.00 | 1857.93 | |
| 20 Jun 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 25.00 | 1882.93 | |
| 25 Jun 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 25.00 | 1907.93 | |
| 28 Jun 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 20.00 | 1927.93 | |
| 19 Jul 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 10.00 | 1937.93 | |
| 12 Aug24 | ShepHut busn cardprinting | -91.83 | 1846.10 | |
| 22 Aug24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 40.00 | 1886.10 | |
| 27 Aug24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 30.00 | 1916.10 | |
| 27 Aug24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 15.00 | 1931.10 | |
| 09 Sep24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 20.00 | 1951.10 | |
| 04 Oct 24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 15.00 | 1966.10 | |
| 07 Oct 24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 20.00 | 1986.10 | |
| 30 Oct 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 15.00 | 2001.10 | |
| 04 Oct 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 10.00 | 2011.10 | |
| 22 Nov 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 50.00 | 2061.10 | |
| 29 Nov 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 20.00 | 2081.10 | |
| 05 Dec 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 30.00 | 2111.10 | |
| 10 Dec 24 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 10.00 | 2121.10 | |
| 31 Dec 24 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 200.00 | 2321.10 | |
| 03 Feb 25 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 20.00 | 2341.10 | |
| 14 Feb 25 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 20.00 | 2361.10 | |
| 17 Feb 25 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 75.00 | 2436.10 | |
| 28 Feb 25 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 40.00 | 2476.10 | |
| 04 Mar 25 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 50.00 | 2526.10 | |
| 06 Mar 25 | Reimbursement to C Furr for EM UK websites |
-330.48 | 2195.62 | |
| 17 Mar 25 | Payment for Prayer Garden landscapingmaterials |
-549.28 | 1646.34 | |
| 18 Mar 25 | Payment for Shep Hut supplies |
-11.97 | 1634.37 | |
| 21 Mar 25 | Reimbursement to G Seithel for charityinsurance |
-100.80 | 1533.57 | |
| 21 Mar 25 | Payment for Shep Hut supplies |
-13.99 | 1519.58 | |
| 24 Mar 25 | Payment for Shep Hut supplies |
-82.00 | 1437.58 | |
| 24 Mar 25 | Refund for store error for above expense |
11.33 | 1448.91 | |
| 16 Apr 25 | SumUpPymt Shepherds Hut | 30.00 | 1478.91 |
| 22 Apr 25 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 25.00 | 25.00 | 1503.91 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 25 | Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 30.00 | 30.00 | 1533.91 |
| 02 May25 Direct Donor | 25 Direct Donorgift ShepHut | 5.00 | 5.00 | 1538.91 |
| Totals | £954.50 | -£1088.52 | £1538.91 |
£954.50 Income/ Receipts + beginning balance = 954.50 + 1672.93 = £2627.43
£1088.52 Expenditure in fiscal year 2024-2025 year ending 5 May 2025
There are no loans, or outstanding bills due.
Signed by Chair of Trustees
Trustees expenses- £ 987.72
Charity Insurance £100.80
Rev Gary B Seithel
Date: 24 February 2026